Cessna 172 accident near Upperville, Virginia, June 22, 2015
On June 22, 2015 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 2002 Cessna 172, registered N5210A, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Upperville, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight bird strike, which resulted in wing spar damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2015 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Upperville, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2002 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5210A · registry record · serial 172S9118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, while flying en route to his home airport, the airplane sustained a bird strike to the right wing. The student pilot reported that he checked the flight controls and engine performance, and made the decision to continue the flight to his destination. He reported that during the approach he noticed that it took an abnormal amount of left aileron to maintain level flight; however, he landed the airplane without further incident. A subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to flight that would have prevented normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 51.7 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 19.3 in the last 90 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,773 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 12, 2015; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,773 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Adventures
The flight
- Departed from: KSHD Weyers Cave VA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: KJYO Leesburg VA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KJYO, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 10, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5210A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.